Hanley Ramirez returns to starting lineup in opener vs. Diamondbacks

LOS ANGELES -- Two days after getting hit by a pitch on his left hand, Hanley Ramirez is back in the lineup at shortstop for the Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series against the Diamondbacks on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

Ramirez left Wednesday night's game in the seventh inning, and didn't play on Thursday afternoon.

"I don't think there is any fear that there's anything wrong other than soreness, and then he's able to judge. It's one of those as a player where you know you can play or you can't. If he gets out there and by swinging the bat he gets worse, then it could change," said manager Don Mattingly. "This is Hanley's call, because you know as a player if you can play or not."

The shortstop has reached base in his last 11 games, hitting .357/.449/.667 during that span, and is 5-for-17 (.294) with a double and a home run against Wade Miley, starting the series opener for Arizona.

Against the left-handed Miley, the Dodgers are using what has now become their usual lineup against southpaws, with an all-righty outfield of Scott Van Slyke, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig. In the four games against left-handed pitchers since Kemp was activated from the disabled list, those three have started in the outfield against southpaws.

Justin Turner starts at second base, keeping up the second base platoon with Dee Gordon that was only broken on Thursday because Turner started at shortstop in place of Ramirez.

The Diamondbacks activated Cody Ross from the disabled list, and have him batting fifth and playing left field. Arizona designated left-handed reliever Ryan Rowland-Smith for assignment. The D-Backs now have 12 pitchers on its active roster, and are down to a pair of left-handers in the bullpen: Oliver Perez and Joe Thatcher.